“20 year old, Kim JaeJoong’s body is found,” said news reporter, Park JungSoo.  “He’s the son of Kim Corps and we find it surprising that after a week, his heart is still beating, but it’s faint.  After the attack in Seoul University, his parents wondered where he was.  We were told that he was walking to school.  He was beaten really badly and a knife was stabbed on his stomach.  Right now, he’s taken in care in Seoul Hospital, but we don’t know if he will actually survive during his treatments.”  Your eyes widened.  That’s why he was familiar.  Not because he was the son of Kim Corps, but because he was your classmate.  You haven’t really noticed him since there were a lot of students in your class.

          “J-JaeJoong?” you called.

          “That’s me,” you heard him say.  “I found myself.”  You saw him still watching the news.  It was showing his parents, worrying over him as they were in the hospital.  “Umma…appa.”  Your eyes widened to see how tears were actually forming in his eyes.  You were disappointed how he doesn’t let them fall.

          “Jae?” you called.  You quickly looked at you.  He liked how you called him Jae.  “A-Are you going to leave me?” you asked him.  You looked back at the television to see his father about to make an announcement.  JaeJoong paid attention, too.

          “Once JaeJoong wakes up, we will be leaving for a couple of years to the US.  He’s going to learn about the business and for those couple of years, our son will be safe,” Mr. Kim said.  Tears were forming in your eyes.  You didn’t know why, but you don’t even want JaeJoong to leave.

          “_____~ah,” JaeJoong called.  You looked up at him.

          “I’m not going back there,” he said.  You smiled.  “Yet.” He added, which made you frown.  You just nodded.

          “Jae?” you called again.  He looked at you.  “Don’t disappear on me, please.”  For the first time, he softly smiled.

          “Alright,” he said and sat down next to you.  “You know, Music Bang is on.  Watch it.”  You smiled and to Music Bang.  “_____~ah.”

          “Hmm?” you responded.

          “Thank you for not freaking out on me.  Thank you for not…leaving me,” he said.  You smiled at him and let your tears fall.

          “I don’t know why, but…I just really need you.  I just don’t want you to leave me,” you said.  Without knowing, he put his hand on top of yours.

          “We’ll just have to wait and see,” he said.  His touch gave her butterflies in her stomach.  JaeJoong felt warmth and enjoyed the touch.  ‘I guess I can touch.’
 

          “I guess you can touch, huh?  And feel?” you asked.  JaeJoong smiled and nodded.  “And smile.”  JaeJoong nodded again.  “Why just now?”  JaeJoong shrugged.

          “I don’t know.  It just…happens,” he answered.  You nodded and lied down on the pillow.  “Rest okay?”  You nodded and took a quick nap.  In your sleep, you were smiling.  Why?  You love the feeling when he caresses your hair.

Weeks passed.  It was said that you were going to start school again next month.  You didn’t want to go back though.  You want to be with JaeJoong.  Every day, you two would be together and start talking about anything that comes up.

          “JaeJoong, have you ever fallen in love?” you asked one day.  You were both in your room.  You were hung upside down from your bed and JaeJoong put a pillow on the floor so that you wouldn’t hit your head hard on your wooden floor.

          “Anio, have you?” he asked back.  You shook your head.  “Why ask that question?”  You just shrugged.

          “I don’t know, I guess I was just curious.  In school, have you noticed me…a lot?”  You were really curious about this and you felt that now was the time to know.  You wanted to know how he knew so much about you.  JaeJoong gulped and looked at you deep in the eyes.

          “Yes,” he finally answered after what seemed forever.  “I have…a lot.”

          “How’d you know a lot about me?” you asked.

          “You know…your friend.  I never asked her though. I will hear what she says in the hallway.  I mean…when she’s on the phone with you.  Do I sound like a stalker?”  You giggled.

          “Yeah…but, I’m fine with it.  I don’t know too much about you, though.”

          “I like the colors black and white.  My favorite flowers are lilies.  I miss my lazy Great Pyrenees, Vick.  I like to cook.  I don’t like sweets too much.  I hate soda.  I will always worry about my friends and family like I am right now.  I love music.  I will make sure Kim Corps succeeds,” he answered.  He then looked at you.  “And I like you.”

 Your eyes widened and you quickly looked at him to see him deeply looking into your eyes.  JaeJoong seems uneasy and quickly disappeared.

          “JaeJoong~ah!” you called out.

          “_____~ah, are you alright?” your umma asked you from downstairs.

          “Neh!” you answered.

You sighed and lied down on your bed.  You covered yourself in your blanket and closed your eyes.

          “JaeJoong, I love you,” you said and fell asleep.

Knowing that you were asleep, JaeJoong appeared again.  With a smile on his face, he walked towards you and soon, he gently caressed your cheek.  He always forgets that he’s a spirit, but forgetting about it makes him happy.  He always thought that spirits can’t feel when they touch, but he can.  He loves feeling your soft skin.  He took off his necklace which has his initials and a heart in the middle and gently as possible, he put it on her.  ‘Wow, and she’s actually wearing it now,’ he thought.  It was the first time he ever took off his necklace.  The necklace was given from his younger brother, JaeJin, who died from cancer.  Never had JaeJoong ever took it off until now.  JaeJoong got up and kissed your cheek.

          “Sweet dreams,” he said and disappeared in the air.

…

          “How is he doctor?” Mrs. Kim asked.  Dr. Cho looked through the papers and then at JaeJoong.

          “He’s been the same since he’s got here.  His surgery is a success and there’s nothing serious about him.  I don’t know when he’ll wake up, but he won’t die,” Dr. Cho said.  Mrs. Kim was in tears of happiness.

          “Oh, thank you doctor,” Mrs. Kim said.

          “No problem, Mrs. Kim.”

…

          “_____~ah,” JaeJoong called, waking her up.  You tiredly groaned.

          “10 more minutes please,” you mumbled.  JaeJoong chuckled and stared at you peaceful, sleeping face.  “Stop looking at me.”

          “You can tell?” he asked.

          “Yes, I can feel your gaze on me,” you mumbled.  Slowly, you opened your eyes.  They widened when you saw how close your face is to JaeJoong’s.  JaeJoong smiled and kissed the tip of your nose.

          “I love you, too, _____~ah,” he said.  You blushed and can’t help but smile.  You sat up.

          “You-You heard me?” you asked him.

          “Yeah, I heard you.  I’m sorry that I just disappeared like that.  I got scared that you didn’t like me back,” JaeJoong apologized.  You gave him a soft smile.

          “It’s alright.  I’m glad that you’re back right now,” you said.  “I wish that…when I touch your face, I can feel you, but right now, only you can touch me and feel me.  When you do, I feel you.”  JaeJoong held his hand out.

          “Try,” he simply said.  You nodded and did.  Nothing.

          “Nothing,” you sadly responded.  JaeJoong frowned.  He honestly didn’t like it when you frown.

          “Hey, when I’m alive, wait for those two years, okay?  When I’m back, you’ll be able to know how I feel like,” he said and gently cupped your face.  You smiled at him and nodded.

          “Okay, oppa.  I can call you oppa, right?” you asked.

          “You’re my girlfriend, right?” he asked you.  You blushed and shyly looked at him.

          “You’re my boyfriend.  Spirit or human, I love you,” you told him.  JaeJoong smiled at your sincere words.

          “I love you, too, but…_____~ah?”  When he said your name, it sounded sad.  You looked up worried.

          “Yeah, oppa?  You sound worried,” you said.

          “I can feel that I might go soon,” he said.  Tears quickly formed.  “But hey, I said I’ll come back, right?  Just wait for 2 years and keep the necklace on you forever because I’ll know that it’s you when we meet.”

          “N-Necklace?” you asked him and put your hand to wear the necklace is.  You felt something cool.  You looked down to see a necklace with his initials with a heart in the middle.  “F-For me?”

          “Yeah.  I never told anyone this, but…I had a younger brother JaeJin.  He died of cancer and that necklace was his.  He gave it to me and…I never took it off until last night that I wanted to give it you.”  Finally your tears fell.

          “Thank you, oppa.  I promise you that I will never take it off and I will keep safe.”

          “I trust you with it.”  You can feel his thumb wiping away your tears.  “C’mon, let’s walk around the city again.”  You sniffled and nodded with a smile.  JaeJoong disappeared so that he can give you privacy when you change.  With a smile, you walked out of the house with JaeJoong by your side.

          “Oppa?” you called him.

          “Hmm?” he responded and looked at you.  He frowned when he saw you bite your lip.  “You don’t want me to leave?”  You close your eyes and shook your head.

          “Do you?” you asked when you opened your eyes.

          “I would like to come back to my body,” JaeJoong answered.  You bit your lip.  “But, I don’t wanna leave you.  Two years is too long.  I liked you for so long, ___~ah.  Ever since I saw in the University, you always caught my attention.”

          “I’m sorry that I never even paid a bit attention to you.  I mean…I’m the girl who’s left out on a lot of things,” you said.

          “I know.  You’re scared that people will find you as a freak when they know about your 6^th sense or that they’ll make fun of you,” JaeJoong said.  “For me, I find it cool.”

          “You do?” you asked.  You found a bench and sat down with JaeJoong beside you.

          “Yeah, I do.  You know, you shouldn’t hide from people because of it.  You need to know their opinions first before you push them away.  I mean, YeonHee likes it.  She finds it cool.  Other people don’t know, and I bet they would want to know,” JaeJoong replied.  You smiled for him.

          “Thank you, oppa.  I promise to let the world know now,” you said with a genuine smile.  He ruffled your hair.

          “Anytime.  Let’s go back home.  You need to eat.”  You nodded and walked back home.

It was late at night.  You were sitting on your bed while JaeJoong was playing with your hair and fingers.  You enjoyed his touch a lot.  His touch gives you butterflies in your stomach.

          “Oppa, you’ll be here tomorrow morning right?” you asked.  JaeJoong stayed silent as he stopped playing.  He slowly looked up at you and both your eyes met.

          “Maybe,” he answered.

          “M-Maybe?” you asked.

          “Wait for me, ______ (your nickname), okay?” JaeJoong said and softly kissed your forehead.  You let your tears fall when he did.  You nodded.  JaeJoong hugged you.  “I love you.”

          “I love you too, oppa,” you said and pulled away from the hug.  JaeJoong leaned in and kissed you lightly on the lips.  When he pulled away, he gave a soft smile.

          “Sleep now, alright?” he said.  Hesitantly, you nodded and lied down.  JaeJoong tucked you in and caressed you hair.

          “Come back soon, Joongie oppa.  I love you,” you said and closed your eyes to sleep.  JaeJoong let a tear fall and he kissed your lips lightly as you slept.

          “I love you,” he said and disappeared in the air.

…

          “Oh…doctor!  Doctor!” Mrs. Kim called.  Dr. Cho ran in the room.  His eyes widened to see JaeJoong’s heart beating more regularly and his eyes slowly opening.  JaeJoong looked around the room.  Dr. Cho walked up to him.

          “JaeJoong~ah, how are you feeling?” Dr. Cho asked.

          “O-Okay,” he answered.  Dr. Cho examined him while Mrs. Kim went out of the room to tell her husband.  Mr. Kim would be bringing everything and when JaeJoong leaves the hospital, they’re off the America.

          “JaeJoong~ah, do you remember anything?” Dr. Cho asked.

          “I-It was…the scariest thing ever.  Th-They had the look that they were murderous.  I-I was surrounded and…I got it at first until...one of them hit my back and I fell off guard,” he answered with the strength he has.  “S-Something else amazing did happen but…I didn’t know what.”

          “Amazing?  Like how?”  JaeJoong was silent for a while.  Mrs. Kim heard everything and was curious too.

          “I don’t know.  It was as if, she was taking care of me and she was always by my side,” he answered.  He felt empty now.  Dr. Cho nodded and walked to Mrs. Kim.

          “He may leave when Mr. Kim comes.  Please have a safe trip,” Dr. Cho said.

          “Thank you so much Dr. Kim,” Mrs. Kim said so happily.

          “Anytime.”

…

          “I’m human again.  Goodbye,” he said.  She didn’t want to let go of his hand, but reluctantly, she did.  She watched him as he slowly disappeared.

          “Wait!  Come back!  Come back!  Don’t leave!”

          “Come back!” you yelled and woke up from your dream.  Quickly, you looked around you room.  “JaeJoong oppa.  Oppa?”  No response.  You couldn’t even feel his presence…not a bit.  You bit your lip, not wanting to believe it, but knew it was true.  Your dream was true.  “Bye oppa.”